Shopping for a traveler? Here’s the good news: they’re usually pretty easy to buy for. The bad news? Generic travel gifts are easy to find and, as the name suggests, pretty ubiquitous!
Not everyone needs another passport cover with a travel quote. Or a neck pillow that takes up half their carry-on. Or a “wanderlust” mug that sits in a cabinet forever.
What travelers actually want are things that make travel easier, more comfortable, or more organized. Gear that solves real problems. Products they’ll actually use on every trip.
Here are nine travel gifts that mark—all things that frequent travelers swear by, organized by what they solve.
For Security & Peace of Mind
Pacsafe Anti-Theft Bags
We’ve already written an entire post about why Pacsafe bags are worth the investment, but here’s the quick version: slash-resistant fabric, locking zippers, RFID-blocking pockets, and cut-resistant straps.
Travelers who’ve had bags slashed, items pickpocketed, or just spent entire trips clutching their belongings in death grips? Pacsafe bags give them peace of mind.
What to buy:
- Crossbody bags for day trips and city exploring
- Backpacks for active travelers or day hikes
- Camera bags for photographers who need security without sacrificing style
Price range: $$-$$$
Why it’s worth it: One attempted theft is all it takes to appreciate anti-theft features.
Pacsafe RFID-Blocking Passport Holder
Staying with the Pacsafe theme—their RFID-blocking passport wallets and travel organizers are slim, functional, and solve the “where did I put my passport?” panic that happens at airport security.
Features:
- RFID protection for credit cards and passport
- Multiple compartments for organizing documents, cards, and boarding passes
- Slim enough to fit in a pocket or small bag
Price range: $$
Perfect for: Anyone traveling internationally or who just wants to keep their travel documents organized in one place.
For Organization (Because Chaos is Exhausting)
BEIS Suitcases
Full disclosure: BEIS luggage has earned permanent space in my travel collection. The suitcases are thoughtfully designed, durable, and manage to be both stylish and functional—which is harder to pull off than it sounds.
What makes BEIS great:
- Interior compression system to maximize packing space
- 360-degree spinner wheels that actually glide smoothly
- Built-in TSA-approved locks
- Comes in colors beyond basic black (if that matters to you… Personally, my carry-on is black but my checked bag? I had to go with a soft sage green – it was just too pretty to say no to.)
- Lifetime warranty
Price range: $$$
Best for: Travelers who are tired of cheap luggage that breaks after three trips, or who want luggage that doesn’t look like everyone else’s at baggage claim.
Monos Packing Cubes
Once you start using packing cubes, you’ll wonder how you ever traveled without them. Monos makes some of the best—durable, compressible, and they actually help you fit more in your suitcase while keeping everything organized.
Why they’re game-changers:
- Keep clothes organized and wrinkle-free
- Compression zippers let you pack more efficiently
- Different sizes for different items (shirts, pants, underwear, etc.)
- Makes unpacking and repacking INFINITELY easier
- You can see what’s in each cube without digging through your entire suitcase
Price range: $$
Perfect for: Anyone who’s ever arrived at a hotel and dumped their entire suitcase contents on the bed trying to find one shirt. These solve that problem.
Cable & Charger Organizer
This is one of those gifts that seems small but makes a surprising difference. Every traveler has experienced the tangle of charging cables, adapters, and earbuds at the bottom of their bag.
A good cable organizer solves this with compartments, elastic loops, and pockets that keep everything sorted and accessible.
Look for:
- Multiple compartments for different types of cables
- Durable material (not flimsy fabric that wears out)
- Compact enough to fit in a carry-on without taking up too much space
Price range: $
Why it matters: The 10 minutes spent untangling cables before bed in a hotel room adds up. This eliminates that frustration.
For Staying Charged
Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger (MagSafe)
This is my personal go-to bedside charger when traveling. It charges iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously with a compact, foldable design.
Why it’s perfect for travel:
- MagSafe compatible for secure phone charging
- Folds flat to fit in a bag
- One charger replaces three separate cables
- Works globally (just need the right plug adapter)
Price range: $$
Best for: Apple users who are tired of packing multiple chargers, or anyone who values nightstand simplicity in hotel rooms.
Oddly enough, I’ve seen some lower reviews out there, but I really don’t know why – I’ve been using this one for a few years and even upgraded when the 2024 version came out. So far, it’s been a flawless experience.
Portable Power Bank
Dead phone battery in the middle of a travel day? A good power bank is a lifesaver.
Anker makes some of the most reliable portable chargers—fast charging, high capacity, and they don’t die after six months like cheap versions.
What to look for:
- At least 10,000 mAh capacity (enough for multiple phone charges)
- Fast charging capability
- Compact enough to carry in a day bag
Price range: $$
Why travelers need it: Airport outlets are always occupied. Long flights often have broken seat power. Anker solves both problems.
For Comfort (Because Travel is Exhausting Enough)
Bose Noise-Canceling Headphones
If there’s one other splurge-worthy travel item, it’s quality noise-canceling headphones. Bose makes some of the best—super-comfortable for long flights, excellent sound quality, and noise cancellation that actually works. Sure, you can get the in-ear ones (I have some of those, too) and they’re pretty great for shorter flights or general everyday use, but for 10+ hour flights? I reach for my Bose QuietComforts.
Why Bose:
- Industry-leading noise cancellation (crying babies, engine noise, chatty seatmates—all fade away)
- Comfortable for hours (important on long flights)
- Great sound quality for music, movies, podcasts
- Foldable case for easy packing
Price range: $$$$
Worth it for: Anyone who travels frequently, especially on long-haul flights. The difference between cheap earbuds and quality noise-canceling headphones is night and day.
Manta Sleep Mask
Most sleep masks are thin, scratchy pieces of fabric that let light leak in and press on your eyelids. Manta is different.
What makes Manta special:
- Contoured eye cups that don’t touch your eyelids (so you can blink freely and it doesn’t smudge eye makeup)
- Fully adjustable strap
- Blocks 100% of light
- Comfortable enough to actually sleep in
Price range: $$
Perfect for: Light sleepers, anyone who struggles to sleep on planes, travelers staying in hotels with blackout curtains that never quite close all the way.
For Memory-Keeping
LEUCHTTURM1917 Travel Journal
Not everyone journals while traveling, but for those who do, a quality notebook makes the experience better.
LEUCHTTURM1917 notebooks have excellent paper quality (no bleed-through), numbered pages, a table of contents, and they hold up to being tossed in bags and carried around the world.
Why it’s a great gift:
- Feels luxurious to write in (good paper matters)
- Available in multiple sizes (pocket, medium, large)
- Dotted or lined pages
- Elastic closure and ribbon bookmark
Price range: $
Best for: Travelers who want to document their trips beyond iPhone photos, writers, sketchers, anyone who appreciates analog tools in a digital world.
How to Choose the Right Gift
For new travelers: Start with essentials—organizers, power banks, passport holders. Things that solve immediate frustrations.
For frequent travelers: They probably already have the basics. Go for upgrades—better luggage, quality headphones, premium versions of things they’re currently using cheap versions of.
For luxury travelers: Pacsafe, BEIS, Bose, Mophie—these are all premium but practical. Quality over novelty.
When you’re not sure: Gift cards to travel gear stores work, but pairing a gift card with one small, thoughtful item (like a travel journal or passport holder) makes it feel more personal.
What NOT to Buy
- Cheap anything! Travel gear gets put to the test in ways that other objects and possessions generally don’t. Getting something that breaks after two trips = major bummer. Sometimes it’s worth paying the premium price for the quality item and this is one of those times.
- Gadgets with too many features that never get used. In the immortal words of Sabrina (the Harrison Ford remake): “More isn’t always better, Linus…sometimes it’s just more.”
- Anything with “wanderlust” or “adventure awaits” printed on it (unless you know for sure they love that aesthetic)
- Bulky items that take up too much packing space. Serious travelers consider packing space to be gold and must be earned by the things they choose to put in their bags.
- Stuff they already have. I know this can be tricky because you might not know! One this for sure, though, if someone who doesn’t travel much has a thing, then you can bet a serious traveler will already have one…maybe even two! Try just asking casual questions to see if they need any replacements or upgrades of their existing gear.
The Bottom Line
The best travel gifts are the ones that get used on every trip. The items that solve real problems, reduce stress, or just make the travel experience a little bit better.
These ten products all pass that test. They’re not gimmicks. They’re gear that frequent travelers actually pack, use, and appreciate.
Happy gifting, happy holidays—and happy travels!
